Combined packing-box and exhibiting-stand



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. M. SOMERS.

COMBINED PACKING BOX AND EXHIBITING STAND.

No. 361,652. Patented Apr. 19,1887.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

D. M. SOMERS. COMBINED PACKING BOX AND EXHIBITING STAND.

No. 361,652. Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

fittest:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- DANIEL M. SOMERS, OF BROOKLYN, NlHY YORK. o

COMBINED PACKING-BOX AND EXHlBlTlNG-STAND.

SPECIPICA'H ZON forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,652, dated April 19. 1887. 4

4 Application filed March 2,1886. Serial Xo.193,760. (NcmodelJ To all whom it may concern:

3e it' known that I, DANIEL M. SoMERs, a c tizen of theUnited States, residingat Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, 5 have invented certain new and useful Im-' provements in Combined Packing-Box and Stand for Exhibiting Goods, fully described and represented in the' following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

v This invention relates to a box which is adapted to be used as a receptacle for goods durlng storage or shipment, and also to be converted into a show-stand for the exhibition of the goods when they are placed on sale. There are many classes of articles which it is highly desirable, when placed on sale in retall stores, should be so arranged that each individual article of the lot is or can be readily brought into full view. This is desirable, not only because such a display of the goods is more likely to attract the attention of customers and thus aid in selling the goods, but because it enables the purchaser or salesman to select the particular article desired without the necessity of handling the whole or a portion of an entire lot.

It is the object'of the present invention to provide a packing box or receptacle in which many classes of articles can be put up for the retail trade, and which, as soon as it is desired to put the goods on sale,ean be readily and quickly converted into an attractive and convenient show-stand for the exhibition of the goods which it originally contained.

As a full understanding of the invention can be best imparted ,by a detailed description of a combined packing-box and show-stand em- 'bodying the same, such description will now 40 ,be given, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a combined packing-box and show-stand embody- ,lng the invention,-the parts being shown in 5 the position they occupy when it is used as'a packing or storing box. Fig. 2 is a similar 1 view showing the parts in the position they will occupy when the box is converted into a show-stand for the exhibition of the contents, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stand shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to said figures, it is,to be understood that the combined packing-box and show-stand therein illustrated consists of a number (three, as shown in the present case); of detachable sections, A. which are of such relative size as to be capable of hosting or being inserted one within the other, with a sufficient space between each two to receive a row of the articles which the box is to contain. The several sections A are provided with bases a, which project beyond thesectious to which they are connected. The base of each of the sections, except the lower or largest one, is made of just the proper size to fit into the end of the next section below it, and is pro vided'with a bead or shoulder, 2, which abuts against the end of the section into which the base fits. The base of the lower or'largest section is of sufiicient size to properly sup- 0 port the whole in an uprightpositi'on. The. upper or smallest section is preferably provided with a removable cap or cover, asd, and

is also'prefcrably closed at its botto'm,as is also the lower section, as shown, the other sec- 7 tion, however, having an open bottom.

The various parts of the combined box and stand will preferably be made of tin or other. thin sheet metal, in which case the several sections will preferably be joined to their bases by eyeleting, as shown. The parts may, however, be made wholly or partly of paper or other suitable material and joined in any suitable manner. The several sections will be suitably ornamented, so as to give to the whole a neat'and attractive appearance. Although, V

as illustrated, the several sections are of-cylindrieal form, it will of course be seen that they may be square or of any intermediate form between round and square.

The manner of using the combined packiug box and show-stand is as follows: The articles which are to be packed in the box or displayed upon the stand, which in the case shown are vials containing any of the substances'usually put up in such form, are placed in rows around the several sections with their bottoms resting upon the ledges 6, formed by the bases a, and are secured in position by means of light elastie bands, as 3. The interior of the upper or .00 smallest section is also, if desired, filled with the articles. If the whole is to be packed for storage, or.for shipping, as from a manufacturer or jobber to aretailldealer, the several sections will be inserted one within another, as shown in Fig. 1, the bases fitting into the ends of the sections, so as to prevent them from moving, and the vials occupying the spaces between the sections. The whole box and contents will thus be reduced to a compact form,and can then readily be inclosed in any ordinary box or shipping-case. \Vhen it is desired to display the contents of the box, as when they are put on sale in aretail store, the sections will be withdrawn from-within one another and inverted or reversed,and the opposite edges of the bases inserted into the ends of the next larger sections, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This will convert the box into an attractive show-stand upon which all of the vials, except those contained within the upper section,will be displayed. In this manner all,or nearly all, of the vials can be inspected, and the proper one selected without the necessity of handling any of the others. By this means also the contents of the box are displayed in a conspicuous manner, so as to attract the attention of cnstomers,and thus aid in selling the goods.

As any of the vials are sold and removed from the rows around the sections their places can be filled by those contained within the upper section. The cap or cover 0'! of the upper section may be provided with a small slit or opening, as 4, into which an advertising-card, 6, can be inserted, as shown in Fig. 2.

The ledges 6, upon which the vials rest. may be provided with slight upwardly-turned flanges, as 5, which will serve to prevent the vials from slipping from the ledges, and the vials or other articles, instead of being held in place by elastic bands, may be held in place by flanged rings. as 9, arranged as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The rings 9,when used, are made to fit around the sections, as shown, and they are locked to the sections by ordinary bayonet-joints, (not shown,) which prevent the rings from falling out ot'plaee when the sections are inverted.

The vials are shown in the present case simply for the purpose ofillnstrating the manner of using the combined packing-boxand show stand.

It will readily be seen that the combined boxes and stands made as herein described can be used for containing and displaying a great variety of articlessuch, for example, as pen-holders, pencils,crayons, artists colors, brushes, spools of thread or silk, and, in fact,

all classes of articles which are adapted to be arranged in rows around the sections. Articles which are of such a nature that they will not sustain themselves in position around the sectionssuch as skeins of sewing-silk, floss, embroidering-wool, and the like-can be secured to cards which can be bent around and attached to the sections. Articles of jewelry, buttons, and small articles of hardware can also be attached to cards, which can be bent around the sections. In any of these cases it will only be necessary to make the sections of proper size and proportions to accommodate the articles for which the box and stand is intended.

The combined box and stand is herein shown as composed of three sections, because that number-is suilicient to illustrate the principle of the invention; but it will readily be seen that it may be composed of a greater-.01 less number of sections than shown.

VVhat I claim is 1. A combined packingbox and show-stand composed of a plurality of reversible sections of diiferent sizes, which are adapted to be inserted one within another, the smaller or each of the smaller of said sections being provided with an enlarged base, which is adapted to fit into or onto the top of the larger or next larger section, both when the smaller section is inserted into the larger andwhen it projects above it, whereby the sections can be nested to form a box or extended to form a stand, substantially as described.

2.' A combined packing-box and show stand composed of a plurality of reversible sections of difl'erent sizes, which are adapted to be inserted one within another, the smaller or each of the smaller of said sections being provided with an enlarged base, which forms a ledge for the support of articles, and which is adapt-ed to fit into or onto the top of the larger or 7 next larger section, both when the smaller section is inserted into the larger and when it projects above it, whereby the sect-ions can be nested to form a box or extended to form a stand, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence'ot' two subscribing witnesses.

DANL. M. SOMERS.

\Vitnesses:

J. A. llovm', JAS. J. KENNEDY. 

